The Girl Behind the Shirshu
by DemonCat008
Summary: Avery is a not-so-normal girl, that has the strangest ability to change between Shirshu and human. Yet she has no recollection of her life before serving as June's weapon. However, things change when Prince Pouty and Uncle Tubs show up and she tags along. ((T for later swearing. eventual Zuzu/OC . *cough* I mean, Zuko/Oc))


**_That's right I'm back, bitches!_**

**_Ahem, pardon mon francais._**

**_So yeah, Avery is back! Reboot! Whooo!_**

**_There will be minor changes (and major changes), and Avery is a whole new person! Kinda._**

* * *

I ran along the ground at a pace that seemed to impress June. I dodged trees with ease, following the scent of the run away man, ignoring the many other smells. I ran down a boardwalk, and noticing that the scent veered onboard a docked ship, I leapt on board.

"Get back! We're after a stow away!" June yelled. I felt a surge of pride when she used _"we"_ instead of _"I"_, because if I'm going to be honest, being part of a team was everything to me.

"There are no stowaway's on my ship!" a teenage boy yelled. I paused for a moment, taken aback by the amber color of his scent, but brushed it off. Anyone who wasn't June didn't matter when on a mission. A man that smelled of ginseng was staring at June like a fat kid would eyes cake, and I felt a protective snarl rip through me. I tore a piece of the deck off and threw it, sticking my head through the hole I made. I sniffed around and the stowaway fell out of a barrel, eliciting a stronger shade of his scent to appear. He whimpered and ran, jumping out of the hole. I whipped my head up and slammed him in the back of the neck with my tongue. He dropped like a stone. I smacked my tongue and mentally cringed. _Ew, salty. _June hopped off my back and walked forward.

"He's paralyzed," the teenager muttered in awe.

"Only temporarily. The toxins will wear off in about an hour. But by then, he'll be in jail and I'll have my money," June said. I sighed mentally. Back to _"I" _and _"my_" again.

"But how'd you find him on my ship?" The teenager asked. I looked at him as June threw the man onto the saddle on my back and patted my side.

"My shirshu can smell a rat a continent away," June said, mounting. If I could frown, I would. _Your shirshu? Oh ho ho, just you wait sister, I'll show who owns this shirshu. Nobody!_

"Well, I'm impressed," I heard the old man say. June cracked a whip on my shoulder and I yelped as pain seared through my shoulder. I leapt of the metal ship and ran.

* * *

I waited until June entered the bar before I ran into the nearby woods. I shifted into a human girl and collapsed on the ground with a hiss of pain. My shoulder was raw with whip marks and I was sore from carrying people around all day. Why I was still with June, I didn't know. She'd never see me as anything but a dumb beast to order around. I grimaced and leaned my good shoulder against a tree, hugging my knees to my chest, watching the trees. I sighed. I hated being part shirshu. How did that happen anyways? Bestiality? I shuddered. _Oh Spirits, I really hope not._ I stood and went to find my spare human clothes, black pants and a loose green shirt with no sleeves. I wrapped on some bindings and slipped on the clothing. I walked into the bar and I sat down next to June at the counter, and nodded to the bartender. I'd been here many times before, so he knew I'd order a whiskey.

"Aren't you too you young for alcohol?" June asked me.

"Aren't you too drunk to care?" I retorted, grabbing my shot from the table and knocking it back. June laughed.

"What's your name, kid?" She said.

"Avery," I told her.

"I'm-."

"I know who you are, June," I said, cutting her off sharply. She quirked an eyebrow with a slight smirk.

"Another two!" June barked at the bar man. He nodded and slid two mugs over. June picked up one and nudged the other to me. I picked it up and we clinked mugs.

"To what ever is worthy of a toast," I said. June grinned and we chugged down our drinks. I wiped my mouth and smiled at her slightly. I winced slightly as my shoulder was jostled by a passing man and looked at my shoulder. I swore. My shoulder was black and blue.

"I have to go," I said.

"Wait, come to the back. I'll get something for your shoulder," June said. I blinked at her in surprise but nodded.

* * *

"Just rub this ointment in and it'll heal faster. It'll feel a bit cold at first," June said. She tossed me a small vial that held a thick, clear liquid. I smiled at her thankfully and opened the vial, shrugging my shirt off my shoulder and rubbing it into my skin. I sighed. My shoulder already felt so much better.

"Thanks, June," I said. She nodded. I felt her gaze on me.

"You remind me of my shirshu, but I have no idea why," She said. I raised an eyebrow and stood.

"Thanks?" I said.

"You're good to go," She said. I nodded and headed for the door. I paused in the doorway, one foot outside.

"Oh, June?" I began. Said Bounty Hunter looked up and I looked her straight in the eye. "Two things; one, your shirshu is a female. Second, her name isn't Nyla."

"You sure you aren't drunk?" June asked. I frowned.

"I can hold my alcohol," I said sharply.

"Riiiiight. So if Nyla isn't my shirshu's name, what is?" June asked. I gave her an amused look.

"Avery," I said. I then turned on my heal and booked it out of the bar.

* * *

I stuffed my clothes into a pouch and used my nails to cut off the bindings. Screw modesty. I then crawled under the saddled and shifted into a shirshu. The transformation always left my stomach feeling a bit queasy. I curled up and leaned against the bar wall with a sigh that translated into a huff. The teenager and the old man from before appeared from seemingly nowhere, their faint green and harsh amber scents hitting my nose full force. I lifted my head and watched as they walked in. _Will, this'll end either horribly or hysterically..._

* * *

June came out awhile later, the teenager (whose name I learned was Zuko) and his uncle (Who was named Iroh) following close behind. June leaned against my side and she gave me a side long glance of curiosity.

"I need you to find someone," Zuko said. June leaned forward to examine it before smirking.

"What happened? Your girlfriend run off on you?"

"It's not the girl I'm after. It's the bald monk she's traveling with," he said sharply with a frown. If I could smirk, I would've.

"What ever you say," June said, rolling her eyes.

"If you find them, I'll consider the damage to my ship payed for," Zuko said. June scoffed and went to mount.

"Forget it," June said.

"Plus, we'll pay your weight in gold!" the uncle exclaimed. _Nailed it, Tubby. _June froze before hopping off me.

"Make it your weight and we've got a deal," June said, poking the uncle in the chest. He chuckled.

"You got it!" He said. June snatched something from the teen's hand and said, "Get on!"

I felt the man and his nephew climb up on my saddle as June held the object in front of my face. It was a Water Tribe necklace. I registered the smell to memory, a rich shade of violet. I looked her in the eye and nodded. She seemed surprised but jumped into the saddle as I took off.

* * *

I charged into an abandoned courtyard thingy and a cat hissed. An old woman stood and looked at us. From her rippling scent, I could tell she was crazy. I waited patiently for June to give me the command to go on. The purple haze from the necklace floated lazily in the breeze and I watched it swirl.

"Out for a bit of fresh air, are we?" The crazy lady said pleasantly.

"We're looking for someone," Zuko stated.

"Well, I hope it's not Miyuki," The woman said. "Miyuki, did you get in trouble with the Fire Nation again?"

_Oh Spirits,_ I thought as the cat meowed. I barked at June with a pointed look and she cleared her throat.

"The avatar's been through here. Let's keep moving," June said. She took out her whip but I took off before she could use it.

* * *

I charged into another village, and people began screaming in fear. I followed the trail of scent, hopping over a roof top or two to get to a spot where the scent was strongest. An old woman stood by the scent, an interesting sort of pale haze surrounding her.

"Why are we stopping?" Zuko asked.

"Because the girl must've spent a lot of time here," June replied. She was mostly right. I also needed to take a break from running. Three people was a heavy load.

"We have no time for this!" Zuko yelled. He jumped off of me and snatched the purple-hazed necklace from June. He held it in front of me and I snarled. _What a brat, I'll go when I want to! _I lashed out with my tongue and he ducked.

"Watch it!" He exclaimed. June and Iroh laughed.

"Oh look, he likes you," She said. _Hold on... 'he'? I am not a male!_ I glared at her as Zuko climbed back onto my saddle.

"Care to hear you fortune, handsome?" The old woman asked the uncle.

"At my age, there is really only one big surprise left, and I'd just as soon leave it a mystery," Iroh said happily. June whipped my shoulder and I began running again, shoulder aching.

* * *

I crashed through the doors of an abbey and nuns gasped, looking up from their crafting. I turned towards the doors again and snarled at the purple haze.

"We're getting close," June told them. I took off into the forest.

* * *

I weaved through the trees and the purple haze became more apparent. I jumped over a small hill and into a ravine, right behind two people. I backed them into a corner and realized that the purple haze highlighted the girl. The boy had a slightly darker scent, only more indigo. They must've been siblings. Zuko jumped off the saddle and stood parallel to my head.

"Do this is your girlfriend. No wonder she left. She's way too pretty for you," June said. Zuko ignored her.

"Where is he? Where's the avatar?" Zuko interrogated.

"We split up. He's long gone," the male said. He seemed to be purple girl's brother.

"How stupid do you think I am?" Zuko snarled in question. The brother grinned.

"Pretty stupid. Run!" He yelled. The siblings didn't make it far before I prayed to the spirits for forgiveness and whipped them with my tongue.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Zuko thought aloud angrily. A light blue haze made me look to the brother.

"It's picking up another scent. Something that the avatar held," June said, urging me forward. _"It"?! Seriously?!_ I walked forward a nudged a scroll from the brother's pack and it rolled onto the ground. A blue haze swirled around it before spiraling off into the sky.

* * *

I busted through the doors of the abbey again. Nuns scattered and his behind jars but my attention was focused on following the blue haze. I walked in a circle, following the blue.

"What's it doing? It's just going in circles!" Zuko yelled. Again with the 'it'? I cried but it came out a snarls. I looked up with blurry eyes to see the avatar dicing at me. He slammed me with air and I tipped back, sending my passengers flying.

"Aang!" the girl cried excitedly. June stood and cracked her whip in front of my face.

"Up!" She commanded. I yelped and stood. June hopped on and I charged at the young avatar. I went to whip him but something slammed into my side and sent me into a wall. I groaned and rolled to rest on my knees. I saw that it was a Sky Bison and that he did not look pleased. June laid near me. Iroh ran over from the side lines and knelt by June. He patted her cheek and her eyes flew open. She sat up and stood. She whipped at my feet and I growled, standing fully.

"Come on!" She yelled, hopping on my back again. I charged at the Sky Bison. It flew over my head and I whipped one of it's six legs. He fell to the ground and groaned before standing. I was surprised that he could handle the toxins but then again, he was a ten-ton bison. June whipped me and I ran forward at the same time as the bison. We crashed heads and June was launched from the saddle. She flew over the Sky Bison's head and managed to whip him as she went. She landed on the ground and rolled out of the way as the Sky Bison stomped where her head once was, cracking the ground. I turned to the avatar and jumped onto the roof as the bison was distracted. The avatar gasped and ran back up the roof and ran away. I followed hot on his heals. The Sky Bison turned and air bent the roof behind me off. I jumped off the roof after him and dove through some sort of fountain. I leapt up onto the opposite roof and jumped over a freshly made hole in the roof. The bison went after Zuko but I whipped him on the forehead. The bison roared and glared at me. I lashed out twice more and the bison collapsed. I felt bad for the bison but turned to the avatar, prepared to attack. I was then 'blinded' by colors. I screamed in pain and June hopped off trying to calm me down. I lashed out twice, striking two people, and collapsed in fetal position. And then everything went black.


End file.
